Man arrested after Darwin navy boat raid

POLICE believe a number of people were involved in a conspiracy to steal weapons from a navy patrol boat during a midnight raid in Darwin.

A dozen semi-automatic pistols and two pump-action shotguns were stolen from the armoury of the Armidale-class patrol boat Bathurst at midnight (CST) on Thursday, while it was moored at HMAS Coonawarra, near the city centre.

A duty sailor on board was overpowered during the robbery, assaulted and then restrained with cable ties.

Following an "around the clock" investigation into the robbery, Northern Territory police surrounded a unit in Darwin city about 2.30pm (CST) on Saturday.

A 40-year-old man tried to run from the area, but was captured and taken into custody nearby, Commander Richard Bryson, of the NT Police, said.

He said all 14 weapons were recovered at the unit, however police were still investigating what the man's involvement in the robbery was.

"We have a number of avenues of inquiry to go (on)," Cmdr Bryson told reporters on Saturday.

"The police force need to establish whether this person received the weapons or if he is one of the principal offenders.

"It would appear a number of people have conspired."

Cmdr Bryson said it appears several people were involved in the patrol boat raid, the ABC reported.

"Investigators will continue those investigations until all persons that had a hand in that conspiracy have been brought to justice," he said.

No charges have yet been laid and investigations are continuing.

Cmdr Bryson said he was happy to have the patrol boat's weapons removed from the streets.

"I commend all the officers involved with this investigation for working around the clock to achieve such a positive outcome," he said on Saturday.

On Friday, police said a person, allegedly wearing a balaclava and military clothing, boarded the patrol boat.

Cmdr Bryson told reporters on Friday that it appeared the intruder had good knowledge of the layout of the vessel and Australian Defence Force (ADF) procedures.

Navy chief Vice Admiral Ray Griggs has ordered an investigation of the security at Australia's fleet of ships and bases around the country in response to the theft.

Another five firearms were stolen from a business at Berrimah, near Darwin, about 5.30am on Friday after a shop's gun safe was broken into, but police have not identified any link between the two thefts as yet.

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